A Genocide Scholar Asks “What Went Wrong” In Israel

Why It Matters

The analysis warns that without constitutional limits and external pressure, Israel’s ethno‑nationalist trajectory could deepen regional instability and challenge Western democratic values.

Key Takeaways

• Zionism transformed from diverse idea to state ideology of extremism.
• Israel lacks a constitution, enabling unchecked ethno‑nationalist policies.
• Speaker argues Zionism is irreformable; only the Israeli state can be reshaped.
• Calls for “shock therapy” and U.S. limits to curb Israeli militarism.
• Reinvention requires abandoning ethno‑nationalist principles for democratic reform.

Summary

In a recent interview, a genocide scholar interrogates the trajectory of Zionism, arguing that the term has shifted from a varied political movement to an extremist state ideology driving Israel’s policies.

He contends that Israel’s lack of a formal constitution has allowed Zionism to become an unaccountable doctrine of militarism, racism and, ultimately, genocide. The scholar maintains that Zionism itself cannot be reformed; only the Israeli state can be reshaped, and that requires a radical “shock therapy” imposed from abroad, particularly by Washington.

“Zionism is not reformable. The state of Israel is,” he says, adding that limits on Israel’s power must be set in Washington to force a new societal mindset. He cites the October 7 attacks as a catalyst that still fails to make Israel recognize its own constraints.

If policymakers heed this warning, U.S. aid and diplomatic leverage could be conditioned on constitutional reforms and a move away from ethno‑nationalist governance, reshaping the regional security architecture and influencing global debates on nationalism and human rights.

Original Description

Omer Bartov is an Israeli professor of Holocaust and genocide studies at Brown University. His new book, “Israel: What Went Wrong?,” argues that Zionism has morphed into an ideology of extremism that led to genocide in Gaza following the Hamas attacks of October 7th. He recently joined David Remnick on The New Yorker Radio Hour to discuss.